Historical roots of family names
More rare U.S. surnames on the verge of extinction In 2000 the U.S Census Bureau recorded surnames of 270 million people. A decade later, in 2010, surnames were recorded for 295 million people in the U.S. — citizens and non-citizens. This increase did not change the situation of certain surnames in the U.S facing extinction with fewer than 100 bearers each.
Among the rarest names recorded in the 2010 Census are:
Yess: 99 bearers, down from 123 in 2000. Possibly derived from the German mess(e) (“brass”), referring to the profession of brazier.
Bouchier: 99 bearers, down from 106. Likely derived from the Old French word for butcher.
Zillmann: 95 bearers, down from 108. An Americanized form of German and Danish Tillmann.
Ammen: 96 bearers, down from 129. Possibly related to Arabic Amin or Swedish Améen: an ornamental or habitational name formed with the suffex -én, meaning “related to.”
Bevere: 97 bearers, down from 102. Possibly a variant of Dever, with Irish (Ó Duibhidhir), Flemish (ever, “wild boar”), or French (Ver, “alder”) origins.
Wooledge: 90 bearers, down from 97. Likely tied to Kentish place names such as Woolwich, Wollage Green, or Woolwich Wood, reflecting English geographical roots.
Blander: 97 bearers, down from 125. Of German origin, either as a nickname from Middle High German glander (“shine”) or as a habitational name tied to Glann near Salzburg.
